


Dream Phantoms

by StevetheIcecube



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Aegis War, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 13:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15752952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StevetheIcecube/pseuds/StevetheIcecube
Summary: Jin spots Mikhail wandering around the camp in the middle of the night.





	Dream Phantoms

Everything was quiet in camp, for once. It wouldn't stay that way for long, of course, because that was how things were in a military camp, but for now, Jin could enjoy the quiet. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath he never realised he was holding until he just had a moment to himself. Everything was fine for now, and that was enough for him.

There were still quiet shuffling noises. People sleeping in their tents turning over, tent flaps moving gently due to the soft breeze running through the camp. The soft crackling of the cooking fire, burning low after hours of constant use. Normal sounds that weren't strange for Jin at all. He was no stranger to people from his work as a mercenary, but an army was another matter. This, though? He could deal with this.

He didn't get as much time to relax as he would have wanted, however. He sat in the quiet for barely more than a few minutes before he heard a fairly familiar sound that he knew needed his attention. He opened his eyes, and his suspicions were confirmed. The little boy, Mikhail, wandering through the rows of tents, hugging his arms to his chest and clearly looking for something.

"Why are you up?" He asked, and the boy jumped. He clearly hadn't spotted him, which told Jin that his mind was somewhere else entirely. "It's late. We could be moving on to somewhere else tomorrow, so you should get as much rest as possible."

Mikhail shrugged and wandered over to where Jin was sitting before taking a seat himself. He didn't say anything, just sat there, his arms wrapped around his knees. "Were you looking for someone?" He asked. "Lora is probably still reading, if you were searching for her." It was more likely that Lora was getting ready to sleep at this point, but she would happily help Mikhail at any time; Jin knew that, at least.

He shook his head. "I thought I-" he said, and then shook his head again after he cut himself off. "It was nothing. I thought I heard something. I'm sorry, I'll go back to bed now."

"I can check if you heard something bad," he said. He doubted there was anything, but there was no harm in making sure that wild animals stayed away. Especially if it helped put the kid at ease. There was nothing worse than a tired, frustrated child when you were trying to get something done.

"It wasn't bad," he said. "Just not real." And then he fell silent again. For a few moments, Jin tried to think about what it could be. "I can go back to bed. Sorry for bothering you."

"Was it a good dream?" He asked. He could tell exactly what it had probably been. Because if that kid had been off in his own world, looking for something that he knew wasn't there...there was only one thing it could really be, and it made Jin's heart ache.

Mik just nodded sadly. And then he sniffled. "I th-thought they'd come back," he managed, and then he burst into tears.

For a moment, Jin was a bit lost about what he should do. He hadn't seen Mikhail cry since they picked him up in that destroyed village. He'd been remarkably brave since then. Losing everything he'd ever known and then being picked up by dangerous strangers on a dangerous mission that only got worse and worse...honestly, Jin was impressed that the boy hadn't broken down before.

"It's okay," he said gently. He moved his right arm to rest over the boy's shoulders, but only gently. Mikhail was shaking violently, sobbing near silently. It was heartbreaking to see. "You're going to be okay."

Without warning, Mikhail started crying even harder, burying his face in Jin's chest as he did so. "I w-want them to come back," he said. "My m-ma didn't even come home, she- she just-"

"It's okay, you don't have to explain," he said, wrapping his arms around Mik's tiny figure. "It hurts. It hurts a whole damn lot. But there are people here for you, and you don't have to suffer on your own. If you're feeling sad, just tell Lora, okay?" Lora and Haze knew how to deal with Mikhail better than he did.

"C-can I tell you?" He asked, his voice slightly muffled as he stayed decidedly held in Jin's hug.

"Of course," he said. "You can tell me anything. We go together now, okay? Whoever you want to tell, you can. If that's the whole world or if it's just me, I'll be there for you."

Mikhail's crying subsided as the time passed by. They sat there, again in relative silence, and it took Jin shamefully long to realise that Mikhail had fallen asleep on his arm. He smiled, lifting the kid as seamlessly as he could, and carried him back to the tent he'd wandered out of. Hopefully, now, any dreams of his now-dead parents wouldn't leave him wandering dreamily around the camp. Hopefully, even, he'd sleep peacefully.


End file.
